Global Warming: Part Three: The Illusion of a Melting Icecap
by Gillen1962
Summary: Monica and Alexandria have tea. Jax and Terry have a drink. Joe Kelly and Jason met at Kelly's to discuss the bikers. Grant makes his first move. Robert has a story for Anna and Ava and Molly and Alexis discuss the Cassadines. Rovena pays Carly a visit and Sonny hears something he should have thought of years ago. The threat to Port Charles grows as the players move into place.


_Global Warming: Part Three: The Illusion of a Melting Icecap_

Anna Devane glanced at her watch once again. Robert was two hours late. She had been pacing for all that time outside the closed Jerome Gallery at the Logan Hayes Center.

"You know the gym upstairs is now open, you could have gone up and stayed warm." Said Ava Jerome as she approached the Gallery.

"Is Robert with you?" Anna asked.

Ava looked around, then looked inside the large bag she carried then smiled and said. "No, he doesn't seem to be."

Anna smiled weakly. "Do you happen to know where he is? He told me to meet him here almost three hours ago."

Ava unlocked the door and turned off the alarm. "No, I have not seen him. There was another murder down at the docks, he left before dawn to meet with Mac."

Anna followed Ava in, rubbing her hands for warmth. Ava looked at her. "I suppose I should offer you coffee or something."

"Don't go out of your way" Said Anna with a smile.

"I wouldn't" Ava said as she started the coffee pot. "So why does Robert want to meet you? Is it about the murders?"

Anna shook her head. "No. It has something to do with Maxie's trip to Happy Valley."

Ava cocked an eyebrow. "The trip she is going on with Sam?"

Grant Putman looked in the mirror of the men's room at Sloan Kettering Hospital and adjusted his scrubs. He doubled checked the ID around his neck. Slade Wilson. Ha. He stepped out and walked swiftly across the hall.

He walked past the uniform WSB guard and said as he entered the room. "You may as well go get coffee, I've got to sponge bathe him and then take him down for an MRI. You can meet us on the 3rd floor in like twenty."

The Guard stood and yawned he had worked since four am without a break. "Thanks. I'm beat I need the coffee. Can I bring you one?"

"Tea black if you don't mind." Grant said with a smile.

The Guard nodded and walked away. And you are fired Grant thought as he stepped into the room.

The man on the hospital bed looked tired and wane, but Grant had enough medical training to know that this was actually a patient in recovery. The road back from cancer would be long and hard for Jefferson Hutchinson, made worse by a stroke he suffered early on in chemo, but he would recover. If Alexandria did not decide to kill him that was.

Grant took out his phone and took a picture of the sleeping man. Then he sent two texts and waited.

Monica Quartermaine was not good at humble. Humility did not come easy to the wealthy renowned surgeon and chief of staff, still she put her best humble smile on and rang the doorbell of the Malkooth Embassy.

Alistair Dunbar resented being sent to open the door, he was not he thought a butler. But he did manage to smile at the woman on the other side, she was not he thought unattractive for a woman of her years.

"Dr. Quartermaine, how wonderful to see you, we met years ago, but I am sure you do not remember."

"Alistair Dunbar, you are Holly Sutton's Uncle correct?' Monica said faking her own smile.

"The Ambassador is waiting in the sitting room" He said leading Monica down a small hallway and into a formal sitting room. Alexandria Quartermaine sat at a small table on which was set a silver tea set. She got up and reached out her hand. "Monica I must say I was surprised by your phone call."

Alexandria pointed to a chair at the table and said. "Please sit."

"Thank you." Monica said smiling. "I appreciate you seeing me."

Alexandria held up her hand and turned to Alistair "Can you pour the tea and then leave us?"

Alistair took a deep breath, what was he the butler? Pour the tea? Still he took the Silver tea pot and poured the steaming tea into two small ceramic cups. He then bowed politely and left.

Alexandria picked up a small piece of lemon and put it in her tea. "I thought it would be best if we spoke alone."

Joe Kelly sat in the diner named for his family and reviewed paperwork. He had hoped to find some loophole in county or city law to block the Holt rally scheduled for Friday. But he could not find any. He was becoming frustrated. Roy Ward was clearly the better candidate but there was a persistent underbelly that seemed set on supporting Holt. Worse, as a Congressman Kelly was well aware that the New Wave party which was backing Holt had large national interests.

He looked around Kelly's. He missed it. And Port Charles. He and poor Rose had moved away a long time ago but having spent time here the last few months he realized he had missed being home all these years. He was committed to finishing his term in Congress and in supporting the young woman he had all, but hand picked to run for the seat when he retired at the end of the term. But maybe after that it was time to leave downstate where he would feel the constant pull to involve himself in politics and come on home.

He wondered if Scotty and his partners would consider putting another name on the door of their firm.

A well-built man in his late forties in a black t-shirt and black jeans approached Joe's table. "Excuse me Congressman? My Name is Jason Morgan."

Joe stood up and extended his hand. "Jason, please call me Joe, your family and I go way back."

Jason shook his hand and said. "Do you have a minute?"

"Sure."

Jason sat down and said. "You introduce anti-sex trafficking legislation last year, didn't you?"

"Yes, very proud of that bipartisan effort" Joe said slipping back into political speak without meaning to.

"And held hearings?"

"Still holding hearings, there is an open house investigations committee."

Jason nodded. "I have…well I know a lot about law enforcement."

Joe laughed, that was an understatement, but he let it slide.

Jason went on. "I have some vague information, but, it likely does not rise to the level of probable cause for the police."

Joe nodded. "But the Congressional investigation threshold may be lower?"

"Maybe." Said Jason.

"Tell me what is up."

After her meeting with Peter August and Diane Miller, Terry Randolph had treated herself to a spa day at the Metro Court. Now feeling more refreshed and relaxed than she had in a week or so she sat at the bar of the Court, her legs crossed and one sandal hanging a bit off, sipping a very large Cosmo

Jaspar Jacks the owner of the Metro Court came up next to her and called the bar tender over. "Cal, my daughter is in my office, could you have someone bring her a coke and maybe some I don't; know chips or something?"

"Sure, thing Sir."

"And can you give me a whiskey."

Terry could not help but snicker.

Jax smiled at her. "Amused."

"Such a Macho drink."

"I'm a Macho guy, Dr. Randolph. We've never been formally introduced." Jax held out his hand. "Jax."

"Terry"

Jax gave her a broad smile. "I saw you this morning speaking with Peter August."

"Yes, oh that is right "Terry said smiling. "He works for you now."

"Kind of." Jax said.

"Well then." Terry said with a smile "It seems I've spent my day with you, without meaning to, a meeting with Mr. August, an afternoon at the spa and now a drink at your bar."

Jax laughed. "Well then can we finish it up with dinner with me?"

"Oh, slick" Said Terry with a smile. "I like slick."

"So, is that a yes?"

"And the daughter in your office?" Terry asked raising her eyebrow.

"Being picked up by her Grandmother for a sleep over at Grandma's"

"Bobbie Spencer, right?" Terry said checking her knowledge of the complicated relationships in Port Charles.

"Exactly.' Jax said "I have to of course say goodbye to her and make sure she is okay, but I am all alone for dinner."

"Unless I join you."

"Yes" Jax said putting on a sad face.

Terry shook her head smiling. "Well I guess I have no choice."

"None"

The elevator to the Metro Court opened and Terry's face fell. Jax noticed.

"Did I say something wrong?'

"No" She said shaking her head then raising her eyes behind Jax. He turned and looked.

"My ex just got off the elevator."

Jax looked. "Tom Hardy from GH is your ex?"

Terry shook her head. "No, the woman with him, Carol Cressman is my ex-wife."

Carol spotted Terry and came over, Tom did not seem pleased by her action

"Terrance? How are you?"

Molly sat in the Cassadine library reading a book. Her mother Alexis came in and walked over to a decanter of water, poured herself a glass and said.

"So. We should talk?"

Molly smiled. "I would like that."

Alexis sat down as Molly closed her book. "Not about TJ's case."

"Okay." Molly said smiling.

Alexis looked around. "I cannot remember the last time I slept over at Spoon Island. I think it was before Stefan died."

"Not when Nicholas lived here?"

"No, I don't think so, remember by then I had denounced being a Cassadine."

"But you and Nicholas are close." Molly said.

"Were close." Alexis said sadly.

Molly sucked her lip in. "Please, no one really believes he is dead, not even Valentin the man accused of killing him."

"He did shove him off a roof, Molls."

Molly nodded. "Which was rude but come on if there is one thing the Cassadines excel at is coming back from impossible situations. Have you read about Yuri Ivanovic Cassadine who vanished on the silk road building the family fortune nearly fifty years before Marco Polo and turned up at the ripe old age of 108 in Moscow, with tales of his travels, lived another two years, and apparently fathered a son in that two year period?"

Alexis shook her head and laughed a little. "No, I haven't but boy does that sound like a story to tell around the Christmas Tree while we drink Vodka and watch the village burn from the Cossack attack."

Molly laughed and said. "All I am saying is that Cassadines have a long history of finding their way back from impossible situations. "

"If or maybe When Nicholas comes back, he needs to have a good explanation as to why he left Spencer." Said Alexis

Spencer, she knew was going to be problematic. The Boy was too headstrong and would at some point attempt to lead the family. Molly loved her cousin Nicholas and his son, but she was committed to making sure Valentin's line would be best to lead the family. Such conflicts had occurred throughout family history and ended up in peaceful if resentful alliances as often as they did in bloodshed and poison. Molly hoped the inevitable conflict between Valentin and Spencer and Nicholas ended as the former.

Molly changed the subject. "So, did you at least sleep well?"

Alexis smiled. "Yes, and I did enjoy dinner."

Dinner had ended after three in the morning with Valentin playing the piano and Nina, Alexis and Molly singing songs that were old when Mikkos was young.

"Good. So, are you ready to accept that I live here now and intend to remain?"

Alexis sucked in some air. "Now that we are at peace again, may I ask, sincerely and with open ears, why?"

Molly looked around the large room and then at her mother. "A couple of reasons, we may be at peace, and Sam and I were always good, but Kristina has made her feelings towards me clear."

"She is still hurt and angry about what you did to Sonny."

Molly shook her head. "And there is the reason why I choose to remain here Mom, I did not do anything to Sonny. Everything that happened to Sonny he did to himself."

"You know what I meant" Alexis said.

"Yes" Molly said. "I do. But don't you see. You are so used to defending Kristina and her actions, which frankly get more and more outlandish, the more you defend them. So, use to dealing with Sam in danger. So, use to all of that, that you never saw that they were sucking all of the oxygen out of the room for me."

"I never meant to do that."

"No, you didn't it was not intentional. Something about Kristina's birth changed you. "

"I had lost my sister; I was not going to lose her or any of you girls."

"And yet you lost all of us" Molly said sadly. "I do not say this to be mean Mom, and I admit Sam is changing so I don't know where the new her will end up, but till now Sam, and Kristina will always choose Jason and Sonny over you, and themselves."

"And You?"

"Oh, I love you, and Uncle Val and TJ but I am never choosing any one over what is best for me. Mom, I'm your smartest daughter, the most capable, the cleverest and frankly the prettiest"

Molly laughed a little at that, as did Alexis.

"But" She went on. "Because Kristina and Sam sucked the air out, you hardly noticed. Want to know why I do not want to move home? Because Uncle Valentin notices that I am standing in the room."

"I notice" said Alexis sadly.

Molly sighed. "Not the way Uncle Val does. He listens to me, he seeks my council, he trusts me to handle situations, he confides in me. He treats me not just like a grown up but as an equal."

"It is hard for a mother to see their child as grown."

Molly nodded. "Especially when two thirds of her children often do not act that way. "

Alexis sucked in her lip. "That is not exactly fair Molly."

'Can you look me in the eye and tell me that Kristina acts like an adult?"

Alexis shrugged her shoulders. "But Sam."

"Sam is growing. So, I am reserving judgement, but Mom, she is over forty don't you think the black shirts and jeans and whole Emo thing is a little passé?"

Alexis laughed out loud. "You have no idea how much I stand in the clothing aisles and look at things that would look so nice on her, but there not black."

The two laughed loudly and then hugged. "Okay, stay. With my blessing."

"Thank you" Molly said. Then after a moment. "So, what about you? Are you embracing your inner Cassadine?"

Sonny Corinthos knew that his sanity was questionable. One of the burdens of a diagnosed mental illness was the self-awareness that much of your behavior was a result of the illness and was therefore not normal.

Sonny knew that seeing Lilly and Karen and the others was not normal and that having continual conversations with them was insane, but he accepted that insanity as part of who he was and what he was becoming.

Sonny was increasingly comfortable in his madness. Still he knew he was crazy. But despite his insanity he realized on occasion that compared to his wife, he was perfectly normal.

"You did what?" He said to her without getting up from his chair in the living room.

"I went to the Bronx to try to find out some things about this girl Rovena." Carly said. "And I ended up in Jersey with this guy who was very disrespectful to you and Jason

Sonny did not know where to aim a question first. "What guy? Where in Jersey? What was his name?"

"Patterson, Jersey some Butcher Shop."

"Pork Store?" Sonny said feeling somewhat nauseous.

"Yeah. The guy's name was Paul."

"Stay away from those people Carly, the last thing I need right now is to be on that radar."

"Who is he?" Carly asked.

"A man who works for a very dangerous guy. Carly we just don't need that kind of trouble. What were you thinking?"

"I wanted to know about this girl. She is keeping Jason away from you and you need Jason!"

"For what?"

"Sonny" Carly said. "You know why. Who is going to have your back?"

Sonny shook his head. "Carly, these off shore web sites are legitimate, mostly the construction business is as well. And anything that is not. Well I can handle it myself. Leave Jason alone. And leave that girl alone."

"She is not right for Jason."

"Stop trying to pick who is right for who" Sonny snapped. "Jason, Morgan, and of course Michael."

Carly rolled her eyes. "Please it is not as if Michael has ever shown good taste in women."

"Well he is camping with your business partner." Sonny snapped.

"What? "

"Sam told Kristina; Krissy texted me" Sonny said smiling.

"Maxie? Maxie Jones?"

"Yes"

"She is far too old for him. For Christ sakes, she used to baby sit him."

Sonny could not help but smirk. "It is what it is Carly. Just let full grown men like Michael and Jason makes their own choices. Please"

Carly was about to respond when the doorbell rang. She waited a moment for Max or Milo to get the door then remembered there was no more Max or Milo. She held a finger up to Sonny telling him to wait a minute to resume their conversation and walked to the door.

She looked through the peep hole and then stepped back. She opened the door and said. "What in the hell do you want?"

Rovena smiled at her and said. "I want you to stop being a bitch."

Anna had finished her first cup of tea by the time Robert showed up. Ava had filled her in on Connor and Sam's trip to Happy Valley and the legend of the lost Hopper painting, by the time Robert finally showed up.

He came in and gave Ava a kiss then said to both women. "I am sorry I am late. There…" he stopped. "There was a lot to unpack in this latest murder."

Anna nodded. "You and Mac know that the WSB is here to help if you need it?"

"Yep thanks. But I think we got it; we have some clues for the first time."

"Good"

Ava coughed and said. "Robert, did I send my niece into danger in Happy Valley?"

Robert looked away and shrugged a bit. "No, No I am sure they will be fine."

"I hear a but, in this Robert" Anna said.

"But well "He looked at Ava "Luv you don't have the clearance for this conversation."

"So, you think I am going to leave?" Ava laughed. "You have a lot to learn Robert Scorpio."

"Well okay but look this has to stay between us." Robert said.

"Spill it Robert" Ava said.

Anna nodded. "Get to the point."

"Anna, do you remember the agency that the WSB had lent be out to right before the Port Charles encephalitis outbreak?"

"Yes, weren't they working with the CDC?" Anna asked.

"More a top-secret branch of the CDC. They were using exotic plants to find cures for various illnesses. Happy Valley was one of their labs."

"Was?" Ava said.

"Something went wrong" Said Robert "The scientist there developed through exposure some type of mysterious illness."

"And they cured it and shut down the facility?"

Robert shook his head. "No. See there was no way to know which of the plants that they had been experimenting on caused the outbreak. And any time they got any one close enough to the infected, they were contaminated even through the Haz Mat suits. Finally, all but one of the scientist originally exposed was left alive."

"And" Ava said.

"And in order to prevent the spread he sealed the facility, blew the entrance ways, and cut communication." Robert said.

"So, this facility is still there?" Anna said.

"Yes" Robert responded.

"With the plants that caused the outbreak?" Ava asked.

Robert shrugged. "Look I am sure they will be fine camping there as long as they don't go digging around too much"

"Robert" Snapped Ava. "The whole point is to dig around. Sam is looking for a lost painting."

"A lost Edward Hopper" Robert said.

"Yes."

Robert blew some air from his mouth. "That last scientist, the last one we knew was alive?"

Ava shook her head. "YES"

"He was an art collector."

At the Mayor's Mansion Jennifer Hutchinson looked at the picture on her phone for a very long time. Then she read the message again and again. It was simple and shot but she kept reading it as if it were war and peace.

"Do they have the formula?"

She knew he meant the Ice Princess formula. And she knew that if she did not answer she was putting her Uncle Hutch in Grave danger.

Brooke Bentley walked into the room she took one look at Jennifer's face and said. "You got a message as well?"

"Yes."

Brooke nodded and typed.

"Jennifer and I understand, what is it you want?"

Putman typed back "An answer to my question you twit."

Broke sighed and typed what she knew and what she had overheard. "Yes. But they cannot recreate it."

"Why?"

"One of the plants that they need for an extract is extinct."

"Which Plant?"

"We don't know. I swear we don't. Please don't hurt him."

In New York Grant Putman smiled to himself and thought. No, I wont hurt him it is to easy to get what I want from you this way. "Find out" He typed backed.

Alexandria, he thought was not going to like this at all.

Joe Kelly sat and listened to Jason's story. He had learned through far too many years in Congress that sometimes the best method was to not ask questions but to simply allow the person who was testifying to speak. Jason gave a tight and concise report of what he knew, what he thought and what he suspected, keeping all three in that order and being careful not to draw speculation into facts. He would have thought Joe made a fine lawyer in a different life.

When he was done Joe sat back and repeated what Jason had speculated. "So, you have no real evidence that the Bike Club President is oblivious to what may be criminal activity on the part of some of his club members?"

Jason shook his head. "If I was sure one way or the other, I would have gone to Chase or even right up to Mac, but I am not and the PCPD is not going to just let me continue to snoop around till I am sure."

Joe nodded. "They used to" he said without judgement.

Jason nodded. "Those days are gone. "

Joe wondered if there was a proper answer that would not insult the man, he could not think of one so he let it go.

"What is your stake in this?" He asked instead.

Jason leaned back in his seat. "A number of warehouses on the docks that Corinthos Construction has long term plans to develop have ended up being used as storage places for the women who are being brought in."

"And?"

Jason went on. "And if there is another raid on one of these places like there was a few weeks ago, given some past history the reputation of Corinthos Construction could be compromised, we have had some bad press you know."

Joe took a sip of the very strong coffee in front of him He smiled, when Paddy opened the diner the coffee was weak and watered down, not because his Father had been cheap but because the taste of Americans in those days for coffee was not well developed. Now thanks to a giant chain coffeeshop was overpriced but much much better almost everywhere including here.

He looked at Jason and tried to see Alan or Susan. There was some physical resemblance to Alan but while Alan was a powerfully built man, the protein shakes, and legal, Joe hoped, steroids had jacked Jason far past his Father. His eyes were Susan's softer than the rest of the man. With a tinge of sadness and pain that he never let out.

"Great, great explanation for the papers, and the cops and maybe even yourself, but if you want the help of the United States Congress then you better tell me the truth."

Jason shook his head. This stranger was asking him to share his emotions. This was not something that Jason was comfortable with at all. "I."

He stopped and looked. There was an intensity in the way that Kelly was listening, a compassion that Jason had rarely seen. This was a man who had known his parents, known Monica but knew nothing of Jason over the past decades. He had no preconceived notion of Jason as hero or villain just as one human being to another.

"I went to High School with Karen Wexler. We dated." Jason said. "And Sonny is like a brother to me. I have been having a hard time processing a lot of what has come to light over the past few months."

"You didn't know?" Joe asked confused.

"I knew, but I did not process. You have to understand Congressman I remember many of the things that happened before my accident. More and more things each year in fact. They flood in like the pain of a scab. But for most of those things I do not have an emotional connection, unless that connection redevelops over time, like it has with Monica, or is forced by some dramatic turn of events, like this."

Joe nodded. "Okay"

Jason sighed; this man wanted him to explain more. "The whole thing has caused more introspection in my life than I am comfortable with. Sonny is my friend and will remain my friend. But I do not condone what he did. "

"We can deeply love people whose actions make us cringe" Joe said thinking of Heather Webber.

Jason nodded. "Karen was one of my oldest friends. I knew her a little years later when she came home and worked as a Doctor, but it was different. She was different. I was different. This, helping these girls, is the only way I have for making it up to her."

Joe nodded. "Okay here is what I can do. I need to go back to DC tomorrow and luckily, we are having a closed door committee meeting. I will push through paperwork to appoint you a temporary Congressional Investigator. Our powers of investigation are far greater than the local police, and you are under no obligation to immediately report any crimes you witness, though you will need to do so further down the road."

"Thank you, yes that works well."

"You report directly to me. Try not to get arrested. I will get you out, but it will blow your cover"

"I have no intention of getting arrested" Jason said with a smile.

"When are you going to deal with these folks again?"

"Col, Lee and Jeb and I are supposed to work on a damaged bike he has day after tomorrow. And they want me to go to the Holt rally on Friday"

"That will not endear you to your family."

"I don't like it either. I like the Wards"

Joe smiled. "So, we have a deal" he held his hand out.

Jason shook it.

Joe added. "By the way that was far more emotion that I have been told Jason Morgan could show."

Jason smiled. "Blame my girlfriend."

Joe laughed. "So, she renews both Kelly's and Jason Morgan? Remarkable Woman."

"You don't know the half of it" Said Jason with a grin.

Carly stepped back. "You can't just show up at my home and call me a bitch"

"Where would you like me to call you a bitch, then" Said Rovena stepping into the foyer passed Carly.

"How dare you." Snapped Carly.

"Spare me the self-righteousness. I know it is your fall back but hell Lady everyone in Port Charles for more than five minutes knows you banged your Mom's husband. Self-righteous is not a good look on you."

Carly fumed. "What is it you want."

Rovena smiled wickedly. "I want to warn you to leave me alone. I am not one of those girlfriends who is going to pick her man's friends or anything like that, but you do not want this to come down to Jason choosing between you and me. "

"You'd lose."

Rovena shrugged "And if I did, I'd get up tomorrow and have an entire life. Friends, family and a future. What do you have if you lose?"

Carly furrowed her brow. "Do you think Jason will be happy to hear that you don't care if you lose him?"

"I didn't say I don't care. I said I would still have a life. See Carly I am not you; I've don't need to call Jason every time I run out of toilet paper. I know how to live my life without him, without anyone. So, I'd miss him but I'd move on. You on the other hand. Lose Jason and what do you have?"

"You need to leave."

"I'm going but seriously Carly stay out of my business, stop trying to break Jason and I up, just accept this, accept the changes he is making to be a better man. Be happy for him, you say you are his friend."

"His best friend."

"Yeah whatever, his friend. Then be a friend and be happy for him."

"You are trying to pull Jason away from us"

"I am helping Jason become his own man and stand on his own two feet without kowtowing to your whims and Sonny's desires. If he grows, he grows, if he doesn't then you can have him back with my well wishes."

"Just like that." Snapped Carly.

"Yep" Said Rovena. "He is your friend and Sonny's, but he is my man. And if he cannot grow, like I plan to grow, then you are welcome to go back to emotionally cucking your husband with Jason."

Before Carly could say anything Rovena spun opened the door and left.

Carly stood there shaking in rage then turned back to the living room to get a drink. Sonny stood in the doorway to the living room, his face eerily calm. "You know, till right now, when she said it out loud, I never really thought about it, but she is right. And it is going to end."

Alexis sipped her water and thought for a moment. "My inner Cassadine."

Molly smiled.

"I think that I have been reconsidering what a Cassadine is. Somewhere along the line I began to equate the Cassadines with Helena."

"But Helena was a Rasputin and a Romanova, not a Cassadine. She had no Cassadine blood. She had the Rasputin lust for power and used the Cassadine name and fortune to advance that. Cassadines are different."

Alexis scoffed. "Now you sound like Valentin. Trust me Mikkos was no bargain."

Molly nodded. "No, he was not, nor was his grandfather Stanislaus, For that matter Uncle Stefan and Uncle Valentin are no bargains either, and Nicholas has his faults as well."

"Had."

"Has" said Molly smiling. "But really other than Stavros who Helena raised to be mad, all of them were or are hard men, complicated men. But were they really bad?"

Alexis laughed. "Darling Mikkos tried to take over the world."

"Yes. In an effort to eliminate poverty. Because while driving in a car with his father the extreme poverty of the poor that he saw through the window broke his heart."

"Revisionist history."

"No, he said as much to Luke Spencer, supposedly his greatest enemy but to whom he was willing to hand the world if he became an ally. Does that sound like an evil man?"

"It sounds like a madman. "Alexis said.

"Yes, no doubt. Attempting to rule the world through anything but economic control is madness. And I am sure he was a tough Father."

"He made me give up your sister."

"Which makes him wrong. But not evil. Stanislaus forced Katya into marriage but was he any different then a thousand wealthy men of his time? Wrong yes. Evil?"

"Actions can be evil" Said Alexis.

Molly nodded. "Yes, they can, but as a lawyer wouldn't you say that motives all play a role? Jerry Jacks, why does he do the evil things he has done?"

"Money." Alexis said quickly. "He may say something else, but the bare truth is Jerry does what he does for money."

"An evil motive." Molly said. "And Uncle Sonny?"

"Power."

"An Evil motive. And Jason?"

Alexis thought for a moment. "Loyalty, ignorance of right and wrong, because he thinks he is helping, some arrogance that only he can handle things, but some truth to that as well, love, friendship."

"But not money or power?" Molly asked.

"No, you know Jason all your life Molly, you know money and power, even revenge, except in a burst of temper, are not part of why he does what he does."

"Exactly evil actions but not evil motives. Not everything a Cassadine does is evil, and other than Helena, again not a Cassadine, is there evil involved."

"Well shoving Nicholas off a parapet was pretty evil of Valentin." Alexis said.

"And shooting Hayden was pretty evil of Nicholas." Said Molly. "I am not saying that the Cassadines are perfect, but seriously Mother at the end of the day would you rather Stefan and Valentin and Nicholas at your side or Sonny and Jerry Jacks?"

"I'd rather none of them." Alexis answered.

"But this is Port Charles" Said Molly "and that is not an option."

Terry Randolph gritted her teeth and said. "Terry, Carol it is Terry."

Tom Hardy exchanged a glance with Jax and said. "Carol, if you want to talk business then let's get a table and talk, but I am not into public confrontations."

"Nor am I" said Carol. "I am sorry. "She looked at Jax and held out her hand. "Carol Cressman."

Jax shook her hand reluctantly. "Jax."

"Like the New Orleans Beer" Carol said.

"Do you drink now?' said Terry. "I thought that was forbidden."

"Knowing the name of a beer is not like drinking it Terr….Dr. Randolph." Carol said smiling.

Tom pulled on Carol's elbow and said. "Come on, let's grab a table. Jax, Terry"

He led Carol away as Jax and Terry watched.

"Your ex?" Jax said.

Terry sighed "Before I transitioned."

"Transitioned?" asked Jax raising an eyebrow.

"I am a transgender woman. I was born a female trapped as a male."

Jax nodded. "I did not know that."

Terry downed her Cosmo and got up from the bar stool. "I understand. It was nice speaking with you Mr. Jacks." She began to walk away.

"Hey" Jax said touching her arm. "What about dinner?"

"Oh" Said Terry. "I thought well, you didn't know I was trans, so."

"And I'm a pretty Macho guy?" Jax said smiling.

"Yes" Terry said a little shyly. "Pretty Macho."

"Too Macho for you to handle?" Jax said laughing.

"Oh, I am more than woman enough to handle any Macho you toss my way Mr. Jacks."

"Just Jax." He said smiling.

Terry laughed. "Well just Jax. Would it be too much to ask if we did dinner somewhere else? I've been stuck at the Metro Court all day."

"Ha. I own the Metro Court, so I resent stuck, but as long as dinner is still on then anywhere you would like."

"Oh Jax, it is on." Terry said laughing.

Monica sipped her tea and smiled. "This is excellent."

Alexandria nodded. "Thank you, I have it shipped in from Thailand, I will have some delivered to the Mansion."

Monica nodded. "Or you can bring it yourself."

Alexandria raised an eyebrow. "I can?"

Monica took a long deep breath. "I want to apologize for the other night. I do not have an excuse, but I do need to explain. During the years that you were gone, I lost more people than you can possibly count Alexandria, and when I saw how much Fatima resembled a girl I knew, who was tragically killed at our mansion, well, I let my desire for her to be that girl influence Ned, Olivia and Dillon and most importantly my judgement. I was wrong."

Alexandria wondered what game Monica was playing. There was no doubt that she still thought that Fatima was this Sage girl. There was no way Monica Quartermaine would give up so quickly. And Alexandria had to admit that since she was completely in the dark as to who Fatima was before Helena gave the girl to her, she could very well be Sage. But this tactic, it was interesting. Devious enough to be worthy of Edward, the only Q, that Alexandria respected

"I do understand Monica. All those years, that you all thought that I was dead. All that time that I had no idea who I was. It can wear a person out. Especially when you reach our age. "

Monica sighed. "Yes. So much loss in the Quartermaine family. Which is why a feud between you, and I is so silly. If Fatima was Sage, well then, she wouldn't be a Quartermaine, and God knows we need all the Quartermaine that we can get."

Alexandria laughed politely. "Yes, Fatima is very interested in learning about Uncle Edward and Aunt Lila, and of course my late father Timothy. "

"I can understand her curiosity. You know I had no real family till the Quartermaines, there is such a comfort in a sense of belonging."

"Yes." Alexandria said.

Monica smiled. "Well, if you would accept my apology."

"I do" Alexandria said patting her fellow liars' hand. "Of course, I do, dear."

"Well then, you remember that Thanksgiving was Edward's favorite Holiday?"

"Oh yes, he loved it so."

"I would be delighted if you and Fatima would come to the Mansion then and have Thanksgiving Dinner with the family. I am trying to gather as many of us as I can, so Fatima can meet us all."

"Thanksgiving?" Said Alexandria.

"Yes."

"Three weeks from now."

Monica nodded.

"Hmm my current plans are to return to Malkooth briefly at the beginning of that week. But yes, I can be back in Port Charles on Wednesday night and Fatima and I would love to join you and the family. What a wonderful idea."

Monica stood up and smiled. "Great, I need to get on home, But I am so glad that you and Fatima will be there,"

The women hugged.

Alexandria watched Monica leave.

Outside Monica smiled to herself. Skye's idea was going to work.

In the living room Alexandria grinned. Yes, I will be delighted to have Thanksgiving at the Mansion, one last meal before Port Charles burns.


End file.
